911 call reporting Jakubowski: ‘It’s him’

MADISON, Wis. — A recording was released Thursday of a homeowner who reported the discovery of a wanted man on his property.

Jeff Gorn can be heard on the recording talking last week to Vernon County dispatcher Amanda Weaver about a man whom he believed was 32-year-old Joseph A. Jakubowski, who was the subject of a manhunt after the burglary of a gun store.

“He said he had sent a letter out, he had sent it out to government people and said he could no longer go backwards now … (he) was kind of awkward, and I’m a therapist, that’s what I was in my career, I’m retired now. I was trying to pick up some of the key things he was saying,” Gorn said.

Weaver said she knew almost right away who Gorn was describing.

“He said that this gentleman was on his property. That he had made mistakes and couldn’t go back to. My mind went to Jakubowski. Then he said the 20-page letter and I had that sinking feeling in my stomach,” Weaver said.

Gorn described the man and talked about his conversation with him.

“He was real serious about that. He said he made some threats,” Gorn said. “He said he sent out 25 letters, and it had to do with killing the government.”

The call ended and Gorn called back later, saying, “It’s him … it is the guy … (I) just looked at a picture online.”

“I asked him why he picked that spot and he said, ‘So I can see everything around.'”

Gorn said it wasn’t clear how Jakubowski got there.

“He has nothing as far as, he doesn’t have a ride. He wanted me to give him a ride wherever I could take him.”

Jakubowski was taken into custody Friday morning on the Richland and Vernon county line in Viola.

“We were just doing everything we could to get everybody where they needed to go and they did an amazing job,” Weaver said.

Jakubowski is accused of breaking into the Armageddon Supplies gun and ammunition shop on April 4 and stealing multiple guns and rifles. A vehicle registered to Jakubowski was found burning nearby about 30 minutes after the burglary, which launched a nationwide manhunt by local, state and federal law enforcement.

Jakubowski is facing state and federal charges.

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